My grapefruit wine is made with fresh fruit. It is a labor-intensive process, but it yields a bright, complex wine with the lovely trademark bitterness and sourness that you expect from a fresh grapefruit. This wine has a definite grapefruit aroma and a subtle citrus flavor. It leaves a pithy, bitter taste on the back of the tongue. Try one after a month in the bottle, and you might be pleasantly surprised at how mellow it has become!
6 grapefruits
¼ cup (40 g) raisins, chopped
1 gal (3.8 L) water, divided
2 lb (910 g) sugar
½ packet (2.5 g) Lalvin 71B yeast
1. Gather your ingredients and sanitize your supplies. You’ll need a straining bag, a 2-gallon (7.5-L) brew bucket, a long spoon, a 1- or 2-gallon (3.8- or 7.5-L) stockpot, a funnel, a strainer, a gallon (3.8-L) carboy, a racking cane and a bung and airlock.
2. Zest 2 of the grapefruits, removing as much of the white pith as possible, and put the zest in the straining bag. Peel the remaining 4 grapefruits. Segment all the grapefruits and place the segments in the straining bag. Add the raisins, then tie the bag shut and place it in the brew bucket. Gently mash the fruit with the spoon to release the juices.
3. Heat ⅔ gallon (2.5 L) of the water in the stockpot until it comes to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sugar until it is completely dissolved. Let it cool for about 10 minutes.
4. Strain the hot sugar water into the brew bucket and stir it well. Add the remaining ⅓ gallon (1.3 L) of water.
5. When the brew bucket is cool enough to handle, pitch the yeast. First, sprinkle the yeast into the brew bucket and stir it in to add oxygen and mix in the yeast. Put the lid onto the bucket, making sure it is sealed, and then put the airlock in place. Label the bucket with the name of the brew and the date and set it aside somewhere out of direct sunlight for a few days. Pick up the bucket and give it a swish every day to help aerate the must and to inhibit mold growth on the surface of the brew.
6. After 3 or 4 days, rack the grapefruit wine from the bucket into the carboy and seal it with the bung and airlock.
7. Label your jug with the brew name and date and set it in a dark place to ferment for a few weeks, or until you no longer see bubbles. Bottle when ready.
TIP: Pair your grapefruit wine with toasted raisin bread or a citrus salad with arugula. You can also brighten it up with sugar and soda water for a refreshing spritzer.